Etta James

James in 2003, Joe Seer / Shutterstock.com

Birth Name: Jamesetta Hawkins

Date of Birth: January 25, 1938

Place of Birth: Los Angeles, California, United States

Date of Death: January 20, 2012

Place of Death: Riverside, California, U.S.

Ethnicity:
*father – likely Swiss
*mother – African-American

Etta James was an American singer.

Her mother, Dorothy Hawkins, was African-American. According to Etta, her biological father was Rudolf Wanderone, “Minnesota Fats,” a professional billiards player, who was the son of Swiss parents, Rudolf/Rudolph Walter Wanderone and Rosa/Rose Bergin/Burgin. Etta was raised in Watts, South Central Los Angeles.

Etta was married to Artis Mills, and had two children.

Sources: Genealogies of Etta James (focusing on Rudolf Wanderone’s ancestry) – https://www.geni.com
http://www.wargs.com